South African great Shaun Pollock believes emerging Aussie star Cameron Green set a bowling “blueprint” on Boxing Day that’ll help him deal with an “internal struggle” he’ll face for the rest of his career.
Two days after he was snapped up for a record $3.15 million in the Indian Premier League auction, Green delivered with the red ball on the biggest day of the Australian cricketing calendar, taking a career-best 5-27 against the Proteas.
Pollock said the most pleasing aspect about Green’s Boxing Day spell was the consistency in where he pitched the ball.
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“It’s going to be an internal struggle for him with regards to length,” Pollock told Fox Cricket. “Wherever he goes in the world, he’s going to battle to get it full enough – and if you have a look at three of those dismissals, they were hitting the top of off (stump).
“That was a real win, not just the way he picked up the wickets, but going forward that’s going to give him a good understanding of his blueprint required from a bowling perspective.”
After bowling just six overs against the West Indies in Adelaide then three against the Proteas in Brisbane, the 198cm Green sent down 10.4 overs at the MCG on Boxing Day.
The 23-year-old told reporters after the first day’s play he was stoked to have been given a good opportunity with the ball, which helped him find his rhythm.
“It’s been a pretty slow start to the summer and just wanted to bowl a few overs in the game,” Green said.
“Thankfully got a few (on Monday), kind of found that rhythm, especially in that second spell. The speed of the run up felt really good, trusting the front foot and basically not trying to look for wickets.
“That’s my pretty clear role, being that fifth bowler trying to hold my end up and let the guys attack from the other end and give the main quicks a bit of a chop out.”
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Speaking on Test Cricket Daily on Tuesday, former Aussie leg-spinner Kerry O’Keeffe joked “Christmas Day had cost Cam Green half a million dollars”, as he might’ve been sold for $3.5 million if the IPL Auction had been held on Boxing Day night, rather than Christmas Eve.
But O’Keeffe pointed out that three of Green’s five wickets were a result of well-executed leg cutters.
“He’s such a newbie at Test fast bowling, but he‘s just warming to his task,” O’Keeffe told Fox Cricket. “He’s a fast learner, Cameron Green.”
O’Keeffe added an in-form Green with the ball gives Australia invaluable flexibility.
“If they wanted to play a second spinner, (he could) open the bowling and bat at seven – he could do anything, this kid,” he said.
“They love him and they‘ve loved him for a long time. That top four of Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon and have yearned to have that fifth bowler to take the workload off them. They’d settle for a little medium pacer, but what they’ve got is Cameron Green, who they know not only rests them but he gets batters out when they can’t. He’s the ideal package for the quartet of bowlers that Australia has and they embrace him for it.
“He’s a godsend to him. That‘s why they promote him in all forms. They want him playing for Australia for over a decade – and he probably will.”
Ex-England bowler Isa Guha added: “What we saw from him was the lengths. He pitched up a little bit more, he gets the extra bounce off the pitch – and then he rattles through the last three. Changing his method by going cross-seam and that channel outside the line of off-stump to try and get them driving – that brought about the wickets.”
Former Australian batter Mark Waugh, who’s long been a fan of Green with the ball, said the paceman could “easily hold his place in any team in the world as a frontline bowler”.
“He’s got pace, he can shape the ball, he’s very aggressive,” Waugh told Fox Cricket.
“It hadn’t been a great summer for him and nothing had gone right for him until (Monday), so maybe that’ll transform into his batting as well – because he is a genuine all-rounder at No. 6. He adds great balance to the side and he can catch as well. He’s the full package.
“I think it’s really important how they use him (as a bowler). They use him in aggressive, short spells and that’s the best way to have him. He’s had back issues, but he looks pretty strong at the moment. Just get him to charge in, bowl as quick as he can and unsettle the batsmen – it’s a really good way to utilise his skills.”
